Overview

• Reform UK claims to have gained over 22,000 new members since Kemi Badenoch accused the party of faking its membership data on Boxing Day.
• Nigel Farage has denied the allegations, opening Reform's membership systems to media scrutiny to verify the numbers, which now exceed 153,000 members.
• The dispute has intensified with Farage demanding an apology from Badenoch, while some Conservatives express embarrassment over her accusations.
• Reports suggest Badenoch raised concerns about Farage's role on GB News during a meeting with the channel's executives, though her allies dismiss these claims as unfounded.
• The membership growth positions Reform UK as the second-largest political party in the UK by membership, trailing only Labour's 370,000 members.